


I'm Here, I Promise

by angeljays



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Hurt/Comfort, Kagome Doesn't Return, M/M, OOC InuYasha, Pack Dynamics, Post-Naraku's Defeat, Protective Kouga, Psychological Trauma, Swearing, character study sort of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:55:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26619295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angeljays/pseuds/angeljays
Summary: “Stay away from me. I know you’re not real,” Inuyasha snarled back, taking several steps back. He tossed a glance behind him and his hand hovered over tessaiga’s hilt. Koga’s brow furrowed in confusion and he let the remaining tension ease from his body in an effort to calm the other. Inuyasha looked ready to bolt at any moment, though he looked reluctant to head back the way he came. Koga was well aware of these woods, cursed by a witch to drive those foolish enough to enter into insanity. He had thought it nothing more than a myth to ward off people from entering, but maybe that was true after all.orKoga is shocked when an absolutely terrified Inuyasha crashes into his arms and Koga isn't about to leave him all alone again.
Relationships: InuYasha & Kouga (InuYasha), InuYasha/Kouga (InuYasha)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 83





	1. Promises

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Bloody Moon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20554067) by [Yukio](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yukio/pseuds/Yukio). 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Accidental self-harm (its minor but just in case)

Koga paused as the rapidly approaching sound of footsteps met his ears, twigs breaking and ragged breaths growing louder as whoever it was approached. He lowered himself into a crouch, keeping silent and near-invisible in the gloom of the forest. The moon was thin and he carefully hid himself from the little light it cast. He readied his claws for whatever fool had decided to come crashing through the forest into his path, however, he froze when a familiar hanyou burst into view. The inu looked frantic, amber eyes wide and searching, though they skipped right over where Koga was hidden without recognition. He didn’t like that expression on the other's face. He was usually so confident with a cocky smirk that pissed Koga off to no end, so to see his entire body tense with panic and fear was unnerving. Besides that, his firerat robe was dirty with mud and the tang of blood clung to it. Was he being chased? Koga couldn’t sense anything else nearby, but there must be something to make the hanyou react so strongly. The wolf carefully made himself known, rising from the foliage with a blank expression as to not alarm the other. He had no idea what drove Inuyasha to be in such a state, but he’d rather not be at the wrong end of Tessaiga tonight. “Hey mutt, what are you doing out here?” His tone was casual and teasing, but Inuyasha flinched hard and his head swung around to face him. His expression was wild and unfocused, emotions flickering over his features too fast to identify. The wolf raised his hands to show he meant no harm, but it did nothing to quell the rising terror in Inuyasha’s features. “Whoa, what’s got you so freaked out? That scared of me, eh?”

“Stay away from me. I know you’re not real,” Inuyasha snarled back, taking several stumbling steps away. He tossed a glance behind him and his hand hovered over Tessaiga’s hilt. Koga’s brow furrowed in confusion and he let the remaining tension ease from his body in an effort to calm the inu. Inuyasha looked ready to bolt at any moment, though he seemed reluctant to head back the way he came. Koga was well aware of these woods, cursed by a witch to drive those foolish enough to enter into insanity. He had thought it nothing more than a myth to ward off travelers, but maybe that was true after all.

“Calm down, mutt. I’m no illusion.” He stayed where he was and watched as Inuyasha shook his head, eyes darting around the clearing. “I can prove it. You can’t touch illusions, right?” He held out his hand, palm up, but Inuyasha cringed away from the movement. Just how long had the hanyou been lost in those cursed woods? It wasn’t like him to so clearly show his fear. Even if it was obvious Inuyasha was absolutely terrified he still hid it behind a façade no matter the situation.

“Don’t come near me!” Hysteria edged into the dog's voice, bringing the octave higher and pressing his ears flat against his head until they nearly disappeared amongst his silver mane. He was edging out of the clearing and Koga rushed to reassure him before he could dart back into the forest. If Koga followed Inuyasha into the woods he may fall under the same spell as the hanyou. Two idiots lost in the witch’s forest would do nothing good.

“Hey, I promise I’m real. I don’t know what you saw in those woods, but I can help. You can take out your sword just in case. If I’m not real you can strike me down.” Inuyasha whined, but nodded as his hand gripped tightly to his sword. Koga stepped forward until he was only a few feet from the other and held out his hand. Inuyasha bit his lip and now that the wolf was closer, he could see blood caked along the hanyou’s lip and how the skin there was torn, likely from being worried away by sharp fangs. “I promise.” A shaky hand rose to meet his and Inuyasha gasped when they made contact, yanking his hand away in shock. Amber met sky blue and Koga nodded, holding himself back from pulling the hanyou closer and away from the forest that had kept him trapped for who knows how long. Inuyasha let out a strangled sound that sounded suspiciously like a sob and launched himself into Koga’s chest. His arms snaked around Koga’s neck and the wolf felt him several deep breaths to reassure himself of Koga’s scent. After Naraku was defeated they had stayed briefly in touch, however, with Kagome gone and Koga’s pack on the mend, there was little reason for them to see each other. Though, no one goes through something like that together without forming a bond and he felt a rush of protectiveness towards the hanyou. “You’re alright, pup. We have to get away from the forest. Can you walk?” Inuyasha made no acknowledgement of his words, remaining a shaking mess in his arms. Koga sighed and swooped down to hook his arm under the inu’s legs. Prior to this moment, he was sure carrying the hanyou like a damsel in distress would cause no end of attacking and curses, but now Inuyasha only burrowed his nose further into Koga’s neck with a nervous whine.

Koga wasn’t near the rest of his pack and even Ginta and Hakkaku weren’t with him this time. He had set out alone to scout potential territory for hunting, needing time to clear his head as well. Even though he enjoyed the other two wolves’ presence, he was grateful he was alone. Inuyasha was in no condition to be surrounded and prodded with questions. Koga set out for a river he had passed not too long ago and said nothing of the shaking wracking the half-demon’s frame. When they arrived, the air chilled with the river’s water and Inuyasha pressed closer to him as they approached. “I have to let you go, alright? I have to check and see if you’re injured.” Inuyasha shook his head and even as Koga let go to allow the other to stand on his own, the inu refused to detach himself from him. “Inuyasha, you have to let go. I won’t go anywhere.” He had to forcibly pull the other’s arms off of him but Inuyasha allowed Koga to take a step back to look him over. The smell blood was not so much that it was wildly concerning, but he checked him over anyway. His clothing was disheveled and torn in some places, giving Koga a few of the myriad of scratches all over his chest. They looked…self-inflicted. He glanced up at the other’s face and saw Inuyasha was watching him intently, his fangs worrying away at his bottom lip. He offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile as he held up one of Inuyasha’s hands, confirming his suspicions when he saw the blood coloring the dog’s claws. “Why’d you do this to yourself?”

“There was blood…their blood was everywhere. I-I didn’t want it on me…!” Inuyasha’s hands shook in Koga’s and his breathing quickened to something nearing hyperventilation. Koga growled deep in his chest, a soothing rumble he used with the younger wolves after a bad hunt or rough battle. Slowly, Inuyasha calmed enough that Koga felt ok to let go of his hands. Inuyasha was staring at the blood on his claws, transfixed until Koga carefully tilted his chin up so their eyes met.

“The only blood on your hands is yours. You’ve been trapped in an illusion. Whatever you saw wasn’t real.” He made sure Inuyasha was listening, his voice clear and stern as he spoke. Inuyasha shook his head and glanced away. “You saw me in that forest, right? Well, it obviously wasn’t real ‘cause I’m right here.”

“R-right here,” Inuyasha repeated with a nod. “You’ll stay? E-everyone is dead…I saw them- them die.” Inuyasha pulled at Koga’s arms, something wild brightening his eyes and making them glow in the darkness. Koga’s heart clenched at the desperate need for reassurance. This wouldn’t be an easy fix, he realized suddenly. He wouldn’t be able to patch the inu up and then part ways in the morning. Kagome was gone and Koga had no idea where the other humans had gone in the last few years. He realized that Inuyasha’s pack had been lost to him, his humans probably not comprehending how important it was to stay together.

“I’m staying. I’ll be right here with you.” Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief and Koga tugged him over to the river's edge. The other let himself be towed along with no resistance, his feet dragging through the gravel. Koga wondered when the last time Inuyasha slept was, or had access to food and water, for that matter. He pulled the shivering half-demon down to sit and opened his robes fully. Luckily, the wounds were already healing, though it was obvious they had been closed and reopened a few times. “Inuyasha, do you remember when you first entered the cursed woods? When you first started seeing things?” The hanyou shifted nervously and fangs dug into his lower lip.

“I-I think it was just after the n-new moon? I don’t remember…” Koga nodded, keeping his shock carefully hidden as he tore a bit of Inuyasha’s inner white robe to clean his chest. That told him very little. The human village Inuyasha liked to linger around was at least a week’s travel away but that was if the hanyou had travelled straight from there to the forest, which may not have been the case. Where was he going? Why would he travel so far away from his home? They lapsed into silence as Koga cleaned the blood away and then moved on to the crimson smeared across the hanyou’s face. He gently tugged Inuyasha’s lip from between his teeth and winced at the state of the skin there. It must have become a nervous habit he’d developed in his time within the forest.

“Don’t chew your lip, ok? It won’t heal.” Koga put the soiled cloth to the side and nudged Inuyasha towards the river. “Drink. You look like you need it.” Inuyasha turned to face the water but made no move to drink. He glanced at Koga a moment before dipping his hands in and scooping up a handful. He took a few tentative sips before letting it slip between his fingers and reaching out to wrap his hand around Koga’s wrist. He looked at the wolf like he may disappear at any moment, which for all Koga knew he really did think would happen. “Do you think you can sleep?”

“No! No, I can’t- can’t sleep! Y-you won’t be here if I do!” Inuyasha’s claws pierced Koga’s skin but he didn’t hold it against the other and just pulled the hanyou’s hand from his arm.

“Ok, ok no sleeping. We’ll just rest until morning and then maybe go for a hunt. How’s that sound?” Koga shifted so he could pull Inuyasha into his lap, pleased when the other relaxed against him. He growled softly as Inuyasha leaned his head back against his shoulder, eyes drifting half-closed.

Eventually, exhaustion won over and Inuyasha’s eyes closed, his breathing slowing. Koga held him tightly as he finally slept, letting his presence be known even while the other was unconscious. He let himself doze, though he was jolted awake by a sharp pain in his arms and a loud whine in his ear not long after he relaxed. Inuyasha was gripping his arm in an iron-tight hold and his face was pressed into his neck just under his jaw. A loud, panicked whine reached Koga’s ears and he quickly met it with a growl of reassurance. “Hey, breathe. We’re still here.” It was agonizingly slow as Inuyasha quieted and the tension in his shoulders eased to something more normal.

“Y-you’re still…you didn’t- I can’t…” Blood dripped down the other’s chin as he bit down on his lip to stop himself from speaking. Koga sighed and tapped the other’s cheek to get his attention. Gold eyes met his and Inuyasha released his lip, reaching up to wipe the blood away. “I didn’t…I thought you wouldn’t be here if I slept. L-like before.” Koga didn’t know if Inuyasha would ever feel comfortable enough to tell him what happened in those woods, but he hoped he would at least move past it with time. He needed to tell his pack to stay far away from the forest at all cost. If Hakkaku and Ginta came looking for him they may accidently pass into the forest. They needed to leave today, whatever convincing it took.

“I promised I’d be here, didn’t I?” He smiled and moved to stand. Pulling the other up to do the same. “You still up for a hunt this morning? When was the last time you ate?” Inuyasha’s face took on a nauseous tinge and Koga darted out of the way as the other doubled over to vomit. Nothing but bile hit the ground, but the hanyou’s body convulsed as he dry-heaved. Koga pulled the other’s silver hair from his face and waited until he was done to ease him back to standing.

“S-sorry…” Inuyasha looked away but his hand found Koga’s wrist all the same. He was quickly realizing that the inu needed touch to anchor himself. He was always reaching for the wolf, trying to stay in constant contact. “I don’t w-want to go into the trees.”

“How about I gather some firewood and you see if you can catch some fish?” He hoped giving the other a task would help. Koga let Inuyasha take his time thinking over his proposal, happy when the hanyou gave a nod.

“Can you, uh, stay so I can see you? Please?” Koga swore his heart skipped a beat at the demure tone and he hoped his tan would hide his blush.

“No problem! I’ll be right at the tree line!” He prayed that the other wouldn’t notice his awkwardness and darted over to the trees. When his face finally cooled, he turned back to see Inuyasha staring at him, though the inu looked away and pretended to be focused on finding fish when their eyes met. Koga took his time when he noticed the other was struggling to keep his hands steady enough to catch anything and didn’t wander over until two fish were laying on the bank. “Look at the size of those bastards. Good job, pup.” Inuyasha frowned and looked away, pink tinting his cheeks. Koga had just enough time to build a fire and skewer the fish before Inuyasha was latched onto his side once again. Without an ounce of embarrassment, the dog nosed along his jaw and inhaled his scent deeply.

“Feeling a bit better?” Inuyasha pressed against his side as they sat and nodded, silently. Koga also noticed that the other seemed to only speak when he really had to, even using growls and whines more than actual words. Being constantly stuck in a fight or flight state most likely had him functioning more on instincts than rationality. “Do you want to go back to your human village? Or I could take you to my pack?” Inuyasha grimaced and curled into himself.

“N-no I can’t. They’re dead. All of them. I killed th-them,” Inuyasha murmured, voice strained and tight with pain. He had curled into a ball, his face pressed into his knees and his claws creating dark crimson splotches from where they dug into his arms. Koga’s hands hovered near but not quite touching, unsure how to help without making him panic worse. Inuyasha was still rambling, barely audible words as he confessed what he thought he’d done. Koga placed a hand against the hanyou’s back, making the other jolt upright and stare at him with wide eyes.

“You see me?” Inuyasha swallowed down his ramblings and Koga took that as a good sign. “I’m real. Us sitting by this river is real. What you saw in the forest wasn’t real. It was all illusions created by an ancient witch. No one is dead, especially not by your hand.” Slowly, ever so slowly, Inuyasha pulled his hands away from his arms and his muscles eased. Koga wasn’t sure exactly how much the half-demon believed him about the illusions but at least he was calm again. The smell of burning fish met his nose and he cursed as he realized the fish were blackened on one side. He took one for himself and handed the other to his companion who grimaced as he took it. As Koga ate, he noticed that the other had yet to even lift the fish to his mouth. Koga nudged him and gave him a pointed look.

“I feel sick,” Inuyasha confessed, staring at the fish with a pinched expression. Koga sighed and took another bite of his own.

“Maybe a little will settle your stomach. We’ll head to my pack and the healer will make you something.” Inuyasha looked less than enthused at the idea but nibbled on the fish nonetheless. “Can you make it or do you want me to carry you?” Despite his best efforts, Koga’s tone still came off slightly teasing. However, it seemed to loosen some of the nerves holding Inuyasha’s muscles and his face settled into a somewhat familiar scowl.

“I don’t need you to carry me, wolf.” They fell into a slow but steady pace for most of the, settling for running along the forest’s edge rather than jumping from tree to tree. Periodically, Inuyasha matched Koga’s pace and brushed their arms or his hand grazed across Koga’s wrist, the contact a wordless comfort. It wasn’t until the sky was just beginning to darken and streaks of pinks and oranges bloomed over the horizon that Inuyasha’s pace slowed.

“You ok?” Koga doubled back to where Inuyasha was leaning against a tree, his breaths ragged and one hand holding his head in pain. He was honestly surprised the other had kept up for so long given that he was dehydrated and exhausted. The pack was still nearly a full day’s trek, more if they kept up such a languid pace. “Alright, I can either carry you on my back or in my arms, your choice.” Inuyasha glared at him, though any heat behind it was lost due to the tremble in his shoulders and the dark bruises under his eyes. He knew all too well that the inu could be stubborn beyond belief and set their pace once again. They made it about a mile more before Inuyasha’s legs gave out and Koga hoisted him onto his back, this time without protest. As soon as he heard the other’s breathing even out, he darted into the trees and quickened their pace. They had been taking a roundabout path pack to Koga’s home in order to avoid the trees, given that Inuyasha nearly had a panic attack when Koga suggested they cut through it. If he wanted to keep their journey as quick as possible, he had to make up the time they’d lost.

-

They managed to make the trip in half the time, Koga’s legs burning with exertion but it was outweighed by relief when familiar mountains came into view and he could smell his wolves nearby. As he entered the main dens, more and more eyes followed him, some curious and others disgusted as they caught Inuyasha’s half-demon scent. He ignored them and called for one of the wolves to get their healer and meet him in his cave. Inuyasha’s skin had taken on a feverish heat and his breathing had become increasingly labored as they’d travelled. Koga’s concern only grew as the hanyou remained limp as he was set down on a bed of furs. He barked out an order to hurry the healer to the young guard outside his cave and tried to reign in his anger at the situation. Why was Inuyasha suddenly so sick? He had seemed fine the previous night, terrified and exhausted, but certainly not _sick_.

The healer arrived slower than he would have wanted, pausing at the entrance to his cave when she spotted the hanyou. Her nose wrinkled, but at the sight of her leader’s scowl she quickly set to work checking Inuyasha over. Her hands moved his robes aside and trailed over the marks there that were healing slower than they should’ve, before laying her hand against the hanyou’s forehead. All the while, Koga explained the events of the night prior. She listened with a calculating expression before pulling out a bag and rifling through it. “I don’t know much of half-breeds; however, this is likely caused by lack of food, dehydration and a high level of prolonged stress. His body couldn’t cope with all of it and he became ill. Boil these herbs and give them to him when he wakes and then again before he goes to sleep. They should help with the fever and bring his appetite back.” She bowed slightly and moved to leave, before reconsidering and turning back to him. “I have nothing I can do for whatever trauma he suffered. Besides calming teas or sleeping draughts, he will have to get through it on his own.”

She hurried off without another word and Koga growled in frustration. Inuyasha wouldn’t face anything alone. Koga had promised to be there while the inu needed him and he was never one to back out of his word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos, Comments and Bookmarks are always welcome and much appreciated! Thank you for reading!


	2. Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments, kudos and bookmarks! They gave me the push to continue this story, if at least for another chapter or two.
> 
> Warning: accidental self-harm (its minor but just in case)

Demons didn’t get sick. At least not without a curse or a poison of some kind, which he supposed was similar to what was going on with Inuyasha. Would the witch’s curse extend to him even after he left the forest? Koga made a mental note to speak to the healer and to watch for any _extra_ weird behavior from the inu; by this point he wasn’t even sure what that would qualify as. Inuyasha was already a phantom compared to his past self, Koga only catching glimpses of his harsh personality and angry expressions in fleeting moments of clarity. He would’ve thought hell would freeze over before he actually found himself _missing_ the mutt’s nasty vocabulary. 

So, Koga was far, _far_ out of his depth as he stared down at the twisted expression of the hanyou laying amongst his furs. He looked like he was in immense pain, his eyes moving under his lids as if fighting an invisible foe. Was it some sort of human illness to succumb to stress in such a way? Koga couldn’t stop the thought that such a thing was utterly pathetic and unbecoming for someone like Inuyasha. His confidence torn away from him and left him a fearful shadow of his former self. Inuyasha was a warrior, a true survivor in a way that Koga had never let himself consciously admit he admired. He was merely a half-demon but he stood toe-to-toe with the wolf without any reservations. Koga placed his hand against Inuyasha’s fevered cheek and rubbed his thumb along his cheekbone, watching as Inuyasha leaned into the touch with a wheezing breath of appreciation. Each inhale sounded strained, catching against his throat as if he’d swallowed glass. “You’re alright. Rest.” Puppy ears flicked at his words but that was the only response he received. Koga didn’t want to leave the other, but he had to warn his pack about the witch’s forest and tell a few of his confidants that Inuyasha was not an enemy to them, or a snack, for that matter. Wolves were harsh and quick to attack those they saw as weak. “I have to go. I’ll be right back.”

Inuyasha whimpered when he removed his hand and Koga was surprised by how hard it was to move away from the other. His chest felt tighter with every step he took and he found himself casting wary glances back at the prone form curled beneath his furs. He felt a close bond to the other, it was a protective instinct that naturally developed through the years but it caught him off-guard how deeply the feelings seemed to be going. He shook himself from wherever his thoughts were going, not ready to deal with the shitshow they would lead to. As he passed the wolf stationed outside his cave, he spoke in low tones that conveyed the seriousness of his words. “Do not enter my den unless absolutely necessary. If the inu wakes up, send for me immediately.” The guard nodded, straightening his shoulders under his leader’s instructions.

It ended up taking an _excruciatingly_ long time to explain the nature of the witch’s curse and how dangerous it was. He loved a good adventure as much as the next guy, but his pack saw the forest as little more than a test of will. The younger ones even dared go so far as to start goading each other into seeing who could last the longest. Koga had snapped at them with every ounce of his alpha authority until they ducked their eyes and lowered their heads in submission. He was just barely finished explaining when a young scout came barreling into him, eyes wide and breathless. “Koga, I was told to get you! Something urgent with the inu you brought back!” Koga shoved past the scout and raced through the dens, ignoring the nervous glances he received from everyone he passed.

As soon as he neared his den, he could sense the youki rolling from the cave in waves, panicked and pulsing in a desperate attempt to ward off any threats. The guard outside was staring into the tunnel with narrowed eyes and hackles raised, not that Koga could blame him. Even sick and terrified, Inuyasha was a force to be reckoned with. He moved inside and his breath caught at the sight of Inuyasha pressed against the wall, Tessaiga drawn and eyes chasing every shadow. The hanyou’s chest heaved with each uneven breath and his skin’s healthy tan had paled to a pastey pallor. Koga was surprised, and maybe a bit impressed, that the other was even standing and let alone had enough energy to transform his sword, even if it looked heavy in his hand. “It’s just me. Remember I brought you here to my pack?” Amber eyes darted over to him and Inuyasha pressed himself further into the wall, a snarl pinching his features. “I know you’re freaked out, but everything is ok. You’re safe and I’m real. No more illusions, remember?” He held out his hand, palm up, like he’d done before but Inuyasha flinched away from the motion and lowered into a defensive stance. He struggled to bring Tessaiga closer to him and Koga realized one swing and half his pack could be seriously injured or killed.

Against every instinct he had he took a chance and kneeled down and tilted his head back slightly, letting the other see he was no threat to him by leaving himself vulnerable. It felt wrong and he hoped the mutt was too lost in his own mind to remember it ever happening once he recovered. Inuyasha stared at him, bewilderment overtaking the terror on his face. “W-what are you doing? Stop it!” Finally, he was speaking. That was a good sign and something Koga could actually work with. Even if the words held an edge of hysteria to them. “STOP IT!” One of Inuyasha’s hands flew up and sliced through the half-healed cuts on his chest. Blood welled up from the injury and Koga grimaced. Inuyasha was barely looking at him. His eyes would meet Koga’s only briefly before chasing something only he could see.

“Inuyasha, focus on me. Nothing else,” Koga spoke calmly, keeping his posture nonthreatening. Their eyes met and Inuyasha shook his head, the only sound the blood steadily dripping from the hayou’s fingertips. “I won’t hurt you. I promised I wasn’t an illusion and you can test it. If I’m wrong you can cut me down right here with that big-ass sword of yours.” Inuyasha swallowed nervously as he mulled over his words. Koga thought he was about to agree when Inuyasha suddenly tensed and shook his head again, bloody hand reaching up to tangle in his hair.

“No, you’re lying. Y-you always lie! Stay the fuck away from me!” Tessaiga raised shakily from the floor and familiar golden energy wrapped around it, swirling with angry, barely controlled power. Koga wasn’t one for prayers but he sent one up before launching forward and tackling Inuyasha to the ground, gritting his teeth as the Wind Scar lashed out against his skin. Not strong enough to seriously injure him, but burning his skin into blisters from the heat of it. Inuyasha was stiff with shock under him and he quickly released his sword to wrap his arms around Koga’s neck.

“Fucks sake, mutt,” Koga cursed, trying to stop his heart from hammering hard enough to break his ribcage. That had been _way_ too close. Inuyasha tightened his hold on him and pushed his face into the crook of the wolf’s neck. “You back with me?” Koga pulled Inuyasha into sitting position and lightly pressed his forehead to Inuyasha’s, waiting until those amber eyes stopped dancing around the room to focus on him before smiling and moving away. He was pissed that Inuyasha nearly destroyed his home, but his concern outweighed it. Which, honestly, was confusing as all hell. Inuyasha shakily grabbed his wrist with a clammy hand and lowered his eyes to Koga’s injured arm, whining in apology when human words failed him. “It’s alright, pup. You’ve done worse.”

“What’s wrong with me?” Inuyasha asked, quietly. He removed his hand from Koga’s wrist to press against his forehead, swaying forward until Koga steadied him.

“You’re ill. Who knew not eating, drinking or sleeping could make you sick, eh? Must be the human in you,” He teased, making Inuyasha frowned at him, finally looking more like himself. Koga reached up to finger through where Inuyasha’s silver hair was matted with blood, sweat and probably dirt from days of running through the forest. “You’re disgusting. You need a bath.” Inuyasha had the clarity to appear offended and looked down at himself, eyes going wide horror at the blood covering his chest. Koga was quick to tilt the inu’s face back up before he had another full-blown panic attack to deal with. “Its your own blood. You did that yourself.” Inuyasha’s breathing slowed and he sniffed at the blood before sighing in relief.

Koga stood and moved over to where the healer had prepared the tea for when Inuyasha woke up and busied himself starting a small fire to warm some water as he heard Inuyasha sheath the Tessaiga behind him. Once the water was hot enough, he poured it into a cup and turned around and he nearly dropped the damn thing at the sight in front of him. Inuyasha sat among his furs, having pulled one up over his shoulders and watched him with a worried expression, though there was something soft in his eyes that made heat creep up the wolf’s neck in embarrassment. It called on something deep inside of himself that he had pushed back in favor of rebuilding his pack and had been crushed when Ayame and his relationship petered out. But the way Inuyasha watched him with such attentive concern and reassurance was _really_ reminding him of those emotions. “Like what you see, pup?”

“No,” Inuyasha snapped with a scowl that only made Koga smile more. The expression was more and more becoming a marker of if Inuyasha was ok or not. If his anxieties and trauma was overwhelming him, making him spiral into a panic or if he was more or less himself. A quiet, nervous version, but still. Koga sauntered over, taking joy in how Inuyasha pointedly looked away from him while still reaching out for his arm when he was close enough. Koga hadn’t realized how tense the hanyou was until the contact allowed the stress to leave his shoulders. “What’s that?”

“It’s tea to bring back your appetite and help with the fever.” Inuyasha took the cup but didn’t take a sip, just stared at the liquid while beginning to worry at his lip. Koga had noticed his strange reluctancy with drinking or eating. Was it just his stomach or had he been shown something in the forest that was enough to make him wary of taking anything into his body? Koga nudged him and frowned when Inuyasha ignored him. “What if I take a sip first? Prove I didn’t carry you all the way here just the poison you in my own bed.” Inuyasha wordlessly shoved the cup towards him and watched with narrowed eyes as he took a drink, eyes darting from Koga to the tea. Koga was tempted to pretend to choke with how intensely the other was studying him but settled for just humming in an exaggerated show of the tea’s taste. “Wow, amazing. _So_ amazing that you should hurry up and drink it before it gets cold.”

That earned a hollow huff of laughter and Koga inwardly celebrated. “This tastes like shit.” There was a brief pause before the wolf burst out laughing. Maybe it was the stress of the situation finally getting to him or the fact that Inuyasha said it in such a deadpan tone that he could’ve passed for his asshole brother, but Koga was clutching his sides as he tried to catch his breath.

“I hid my reaction so you’d drink it,” He snickered and Inuyasha downed the rest of the cup with a grimace. Koga moved to sit on the furs with the other, letting Inuyasha fall against him and his hand wind around his wrist. “How you feeling?”

“Bad,” Koga snorted and then shrugged the shoulder the hanyou was leaning against to urge him to continue. “I’m on edge. I can’t believe this is real. Any of this could just be fake or an illusion. I mean, why would you even be helping me so much? You don’t even like me…” Each breath grew shorter and shorter, scraping in his throat like it was being forced out of him. Amber eyes rapidly lost the clarity they had gained and the grip on his wrist grew painful as it tightened enough that his bones creaked under the strain.

“Hey, look at me,” Koga whispered, using his free hand to gently grab the inu’s chin and move his head towards him. “I know we didn’t get off on the right foot and you don’t have a reason to trust me, but you’re, uh, you’re…” His words died on his tongue as Inuyasha’s gaze focused on him, expression utterly open and searching. It suddenly made Koga feel too exposed, like the other could see right through him. “You’re important to me, alright?! Stop staring at me with that damn look on your face!” Koga’s voice wavered and he inwardly cursed himself for looking like such a bumbling idiot. Inuyasha tilted his head to the side, ears perking up and, despite the dampness on his cheeks and the fever still flushing his skin red, he smiled. A weird tilt of the lips that softened his whole demeanor.

“I believe you.” Koga was at a loss for words. Inuyasha spoke with so much trust, putting the entirety of his faith in the wolf and his protection. If his blush wasn’t obvious before, it certainly was now and he quickly looked away from the hanyou’s earnest expression.

“O-Ok, great! Now about that bath. We have a natural hot spring here that you can use. I have a personal section of it where no one else can go. How do you want me to carry you?” Inuyasha frowned, but Koga cut him off before he could protest. “You’re not passing out on my floor. You’re lucky I’m letting you choose at all.”

“Back. I’m not some woman,” Inuyasha muttered and Koga hitched him onto his back, gritting his teeth as blood filled his nose.

“I’ll have you know many of the females in the pack would rip your dick off if they heard you say that.” Inuyasha snorted but went silent after that, face falling into Koga’s neck and arms going somewhat slack. “Don’t fall asleep on me, mutt. I’m not bathing you.” Inuyasha muttered something nasty back and Koga snickered.

-

The spring was in one of the lower caves and the room was warm and smelled strongly of herbs that the were used to soothe aching muscles and heal wounds. Inuyasha lifted his head and sniffed loudly in Koga’s ear, mumbling in distaste at the strong odor. Koga set the other down and teasingly asked if he needed help disrobing, which got him a sloppy punch thrown at his face and an extra flush lighting up Inuyasha’s too-pale skin. He had no qualms with nudity but turned away, knowing the hanyou shared humans’ prissy nature about their bodies. Everything was apparently some sort of secret, as if they didn’t know what was under their robes. Koga waited until he heard the other get into the spring before turning around and snatching the hanyou’s bloody hand before the other could wash it. He held it between them, expression deadly serious. “No more of this. Or this.” He let go of Inuyasha’s hand to run his thumb along the inu’s bottom lip. Dried blood was caked along the skin to the point it could have looked like make-up from afar. Inuyasha ducked his head and moved away to wordlessly thread his fingers through the mess his hair had become.

Inuyasha eventually grew too tired of trying to cleaning his hair and settled against the wall of the spring, looking nearly asleep. The water had done wonders for his chest, the wounds cleaned and nothing more than pink scars that would fade soon enough. Koga stepped up and tapped the dog’s cheek, fighting to keep his expression neutral when gold eyes fluttered open. “Can we g’sleep?”

“You barely even did anything! You still have blood in your hair.” Koga’s words fell on deaf ears as Inuyasha settled more comfortably, eyes slipping closed. Koga rolled his eyes and began the tedious work of brushing the other’s hair, grateful that the mutt was awake enough to tip his head back. He was mildly surprised by how soft the silver mane actually was once it was cleaned. He didn’t peg the hanyou for the type to take care of his hair. He grabbed a cloth and cleaned Inuyasha’s face, the dog keeping his word and trusting him enough to remain asleep through the whole process. “Alright, pup, get up. Unless you want me to dress you too.”

Inuyasha begrudgingly rose from the water, though only after Koga turned away and blindly handed him a loose robe to wear. He was swaying on his feet by the time they were done and Koga didn’t even give him an option before sweeping him off his feet and carrying him back to his den. Inuyasha was fast asleep before they even made it there and Koga settled him on the furs before laying down next to him, letting his thoughts wander to the places he’d been avoiding all day.

The only conclusion he was able to reach as Inuyasha pressed against his side in his sleep was that he was completely and royally fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! I know its a bit shorter than the first chapter but I quite liked how it turned out. If you have any suggestions for where this story could go or anything let me know. 
> 
> There was more swearing in this chapter but I kinda like it like that :)
> 
> Comments, Kudos & Bookmarks are always welcome and much appreciated!


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